February 17, 2025 • 23 mins
Transform your life by reshaping your mental environment. Discover how the power of positive inner dialogue can lead to a fulfilled and empowered existence. With insights from Don Miguel Ruiz's "The Four Agreements," we unpack transformative principles like being impeccable with your word and always doing your best. This journey is about reframing negative beliefs into affirmations that nurture growth and happiness, highlighting the importance of regularly examining and adjusting your mental landscape.<br><br>This episode also explores the art of crafting harmonious spaces both at home and work to boost well-being and productivity. Learn how to tackle challenges with difficult colleagues, create a clutter-free home sanctuary, and make mindful choices about your commute and meals. By incorporating small pleasures and organizing your surroundings, you can create environments that uplift your mood and foster a peaceful and productive atmosphere. Let these strategies guide you in designing spaces that support your best self and enrich your daily life.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, beautiful friends, it's Marni Martin and
welcome to this episode of Lifeis Delicious.
I'm a multi-passionateentrepreneur, best-selling
author, foodie and voiceoverartist, and I created the Life
is Delicious podcast with onesimple mission in mind to help
(00:22):
you add more flavor to your lifeand to help you write your own
recipe for a life that feedsyour soul.
I'm so glad you're here.
Before we begin, I just want tosay that I am so grateful to
have you here and it's so greatthat you have taken some time
out of your day to focus onsomething that will enrich your
(00:43):
life.
Today, we are going to talkabout something that I think is
hugely important, and it is theenvironment that we live in, and
I like to think of our lifelike a series of mini
environments, because there's alot of different types of
environments, some which wenever even actually think of,
(01:04):
that impact our happiness, ourfulfillment, our well-being and
our mental health.
Let's start with environmentnumber one, and we're going to
go through a series of all thedifferent environments and
there's a handful of them andthen we're going to talk about
ways in which we can change,tweak, enhance and clean up some
(01:26):
of those environments tosupport our best life.
So the first one I want to talkto you about is our mental
environment, and I think ourmental environment is the
foundation for everything elsein our life the thoughts we
think and the words we speak.
They actually create the lensthrough which we see the world,
ourselves and other people.
(01:47):
So our inner dialogue is a hugepiece of this mental
environment, and if our innerdialogue is filled with fear,
doubt, negativity, we're goingto experience life through a
lens of limitation.
But if we consciously choosethoughts that are supportive,
peaceful and loving, our entireworld can begin to shift.
(02:10):
Imagine waking up every daywith a mindset that empowers you
, one that fills your heart withconfidence, optimism and inner
peace.
This can be possible when wetake control of our mental
environment and intentionallydesign it to support our growth
and happiness.
So I don't know if you've everheard about the book the Four
(02:31):
Agreements, but it is anincredible piece of literature
that was written by Don MiguelRuiz.
It's a really short read, so ifyou haven't had a chance to
pick up a copy, I would highlyencourage that.
It is a super powerful bookabout setting our intention for
the way we use our thoughts andour words for ourself and for
(02:53):
others.
So the four agreementsbasically are number one be
impeccable with your word.
Speak with integrity.
Say only what you mean.
Avoid using the word to speakagainst yourself or gossip about
others.
Use the power of your word inthe direction of truth and love.
The second agreement is don'ttake anything personally.
(03:16):
Nothing others do is because ofyou.
What others say and do is aprojection of their own dream.
When you are immune to theopinions and actions of others,
you won't be a victim ofneedless suffering.
I love that.
The third agreement is don'tmake assumptions.
Find the courage to askquestions and to express what
(03:37):
you really want.
Communicate with others asclearly as you can to avoid
misunderstandings, sadness anddrama.
With just this one agreement,you can completely transform
your life.
The fourth agreement is alwaysdo your best.
Your best is going to changefrom moment to moment, under any
circumstance.
(03:57):
Simply do your best and youwill avoid self-judgment,
self-abuse and regret.
So I love that.
And this is such a simpleconcept, but a super powerful
concept.
So when we're looking at ourmental environment, we have to
look at the way we talk toourselves and the way we think
about ourselves and the way wemake agreements in the world.
(04:22):
So an agreement is simply anidea, an opinion or a habit of
thought that we believe to betrue, even if it's not the real
truth.
If we believe it is true, itactually becomes true for us.
Our subconscious doesn't knowthe difference between real and
fantasy and it runs on theprogramming that we set in
motion through the agreementsthat we make with ourselves.
(04:43):
So that's why it's reallyimportant to examine the
agreements we've made withourself on a regular basis to
see if in fact, they're stilltrue or if we need to adjust
them and make completely newagreements with ourselves.
And as you grow and change inyour life, your agreements will
shift over time and hopefullyyou will create a habit of
(05:04):
self-awareness by payingattention to the agreements that
you've made, because ouragreements create the lens
through which we see everyoneand everything in our reality.
So let's take a look at someexamples of some very common
agreements and how we mightadjust them to help us break
free from self sabotagingpatterns and ways of being.
(05:24):
Perhaps you have a an agreementthat just says I'm not a lucky
person.
Maybe you could change that toI am the luckiest person I know.
We have to make a mental notethat we're actually having that
negative experience, and retrainourselves when those negative
emotions and words andagreements pop up, to be able to
(05:46):
shift them to something moreempowering.
So maybe you have an agreementthat you're too old to do
certain things and instead maybeyou could just say I'm so much
wiser than I used to be and I'mnever too old to learn something
new.
Maybe you have decided that youhave never been good with math
and so as long as you believethat it's going to be a
(06:08):
challenge for you to do math, somaybe you need to change it to
something like the more Ipractice, the better I get.
Maybe you have a habit ofthought that says I can't afford
it, so as long as you havedecided you cannot afford
something, it's very unlikelythat you're going to attract the
abundance to be able to affordit.
So instead, how about that'snot an economic priority for me
(06:32):
right now?
Or something even better?
Money flows easily to me and Ialways have enough money for the
things that I need.
Simple, simple tweaks, butthings that really will change
the way you think and the wayyou feel about every single
agreement that you have, becauseevery thought you think
contributes to the energy thatyou bring into the world.
(06:52):
Then, when we actually look atnot only the thoughts we think
but the words that we use,obviously those matter as well.
So maybe we could start by justwriting down three negative
thoughts that you often tellyourself and then, maybe, just
like we did in the exercise,rewrite each one into a positive
(07:12):
, empowering statement.
How would your life change ifyou consistently spoke to
yourself with love andencouragement?
That's worth pondering.
I think so.
The second one of ourenvironments that is super
important is our socialenvironment the people we
surround ourselves with and theactivities we engage in.
(07:33):
They shape our emotionalwell-being, our mindset and our
overall happiness.
So if our social environment isfilled with positivity,
inspiration and support, wethrive.
But if we're surrounded bynegativity, drama, unhealthy
habits, our personal growth andour happiness can really take a
(07:53):
bit of a beating.
Your social circle includesyour friends, your family, your
co-workers and the communitiesthat you engage with regularly.
Maybe that's clubs that you'repart of, or maybe you play
pickleball.
Whatever that is for you.
It's important to just stop andtake a look at which one of
these environments is supportingyou and which one is not.
So one of the things we talkabout is that we become most
(08:17):
like the five people that wespend our time with.
So let's look at some of thepeople that you actually spend
time with.
Maybe make a list of the fiveor six or seven people that are
in your life and with you almostall the time or most often, and
then let's look at are thosepeople supporting you and
uplifting your dreams,encouraging you to do better, or
(08:39):
are they kind of influencingyou to maybe do some things in
excess, maybe that you wouldn'tlike to do?
Or maybe they don't cheer youon when you have a new project?
It's just an important thing tolook at, because it really will
give you a different opinionabout what you need to clean up
and maybe who you need to spenda little bit more time with.
(09:00):
Not that you necessarily wantto cut out people from your life
completely, but it's certainlypossible to make different
choices and spend more time withthe people that lift you up,
support you and nurture yourwell-being and your mental
health.
So we want to seek friendshipsthat align with our values and
we want to be intentional aboutwho we invest our time and
(09:20):
energy into.
Next, let's have a look at ourworkplace environment.
I know a lot of people workfrom home these days, so this
could be your home office or itcould be your workplace, because
your overall workplaceenvironment has a profound
impact on your productivity,your motivation and your overall
(09:41):
job satisfaction.
When you have an environmentthat supports and helps you to
thrive and limits distractions,you just have a much better work
experience.
Maybe we could have a look atis your work environment clean?
Is it tidy?
Do you have things accessiblethat you need to be able to find
(10:02):
when you're in the middle of aproject?
What could you do to limit theamount of distractions that you
have?
You know, maybe you couldinvest in some furniture that is
a little ergonomically moresupportive for your actual
comfort and efficiency.
What about your decor?
Is it peaceful?
Is there just cluttereverywhere?
(10:24):
Do you have beautiful pictureson the wall?
Does it a place that you feelrelaxed and inspired?
Because that's where you doyour best work is when you're
inspired.
Sometimes our workplaceenvironment also includes the
people that we spend time withat work, and sometimes we have
colleagues that are notnecessarily supportive or maybe
(10:46):
they're a little bit difficultto deal with.
So what do you do about thatand how do you limit that
exposure?
How do you keep the peace whiledoing a good job at your work
and how do you navigate thosesituations?
How does that impact the wayyou feel when you go to work?
Are you feeling valued?
Are you fairly compensated forthe work that you do?
(11:08):
If you're not, maybe it's timeto negotiate or explore some new
opportunities.
One thing I've found to be veryeffective in terms of looking at
time management in your officesituation is maybe using the
Pomodoro technique, which is 25minutes of work and then a quick
five minute break.
How long is your commute towork and does that contribute to
(11:31):
your stress?
Do you bring healthy meals fromhome?
Are you eating from a vendingmachine or fast food every day?
What about being challenged inyour current position?
Do you feel appreciated whenyou do a good job?
Are you able to grow and isthere room for you to add value?
Are you being paid what you'reworth?
(11:53):
And if you work from home, doyou have a dedicated space that
you can limit distractions andallows you to kind of switch
into work mode?
That can be a really bigcontributing factor.
Is your space cluttered ormessy, or is it tidy and easy
for you to work in and find thethings that you need.
Here's one when you work athome, do you stay in your
(12:14):
pajamas all day or do you stilldress for work?
There's no judgment here.
It's just a matter of lookingat the things and the habits
that you're doing and seeing howdoes it make you feel?
I know for me personally, when Iget into a workflow, sometimes
it can be really easy for me tobe still in my house coat at
noon because I got onto a trainof thought and I went with it
(12:38):
and that is sometimes a reallyvaluable thing.
But other times, when I reallymake an intentional effort to
get up and wash my face and doall my morning routines and then
get dressed and go to workpurposefully, I tend to have a
little bit more of a productiveday and I tend to be able to get
(12:58):
in my zone a bit quicker.
Do you have flowers on yourdesk or items in your space that
make you happy?
I love having a beautifulworkplace and one of the things,
even in my office, that I didthis year is I added a
hummingbird feeder on theoutside of my office window.
I am absolutely enamored withhummingbirds and I have several
(13:21):
feeders around my house, butit's absolutely one of the
things that adds to my happiness, and I could be in the middle
of a work project and just lookout the window and see those
little guys and it just elevatesmy mood instantly.
And it might seem like a verysmall, simple thing.
Oftentimes the most impactfulthings that make us happy can be
(13:42):
very, very simple.
So look at your space and seewhat's working for you and what
maybe needs a little bit of atweaking or changing or
completely letting go up.
The next one, of course, is ourmost important environment, or
our largest environment, andthat is our home, where we live,
(14:02):
who we share our space with andhow we choose to create the
vibe in our house.
I love this quote by PeterWalsh.
It says your home should be theantidote to your stress, not
the cause of it.
So your home is your sanctuary.
It's the place where you shouldfeel safe, relaxed and inspired
.
If your home is cluttered andchaotic or uninspiring, you can
(14:25):
often feel more stress or it candrain your energy.
So it's really important tointentionally create spaces
within your home that cannurture your well-being and your
happiness.
So we're going to talk aboutways to declutter, organize and
kind of look at each room inyour home as something that is
going to create space for you tobe your best self.
(14:47):
So of course, we've got ourkitchen and our living space.
One of the things that I findcontributes to my joy in a big
way is having a tidy home, and Ireally subscribe to the fact
that everything kind of has aplace and I try to put things
back where they belong, and itjust allows me to feel much more
(15:08):
peaceful.
When I wake up in the morningand my counters are cluttered
with grocery bags or laundry orsomething like that, immediately
I feel my sense of stress go up, because I love to come into a
clean kitchen in the morning.
It's the most favorite way forme to start my day.
I don't feel like I have to doanything, it's just like oh,
it's so nice to be here.
All of those different thingscan shift.
(15:29):
Do you have enough space inyour house to put things away in
closets?
Could you maybe find differentways of reorganizing your
closets and your spaces in yourhome so that you would be able
to maybe let go of some thingsso that you can have some clean
countertop space and that youcan find things when you need
them.
Now.
Everybody's life is differentand not everybody thrives in an
(15:52):
environment that is completelytidy.
Some people really have thatorganized chaos where they know
where everything in their spaceis, and if that's you, then
that's okay too.
This is really all about youevaluating what's working for
you and what's not, so there'sno judgment, no shoulds, none of
(16:13):
that stuff.
This is all about thinkingabout your space.
The other thing we can thinkabout is like screens in our
home, like is your TV on all day?
Do you play peaceful music inyour house?
Do you like to have candlesburning or maybe some essential
oils that enhance the space andinvigorate you?
There's just so many ways thatwe can actually add to our
peacefulness without very muchactual effort.
(16:33):
We want your home to rechargeyour batteries and to make it
feel like a retreat, a placewhere you can separate work and
relaxation.
Your bedroom should be the placethat you can relax, share
intimacy with your partner.
Maybe you're nurturing a baby,but it should be a haven of
(16:54):
comfort, relaxation and balance.
And your bedroom is also theplace where you sleep, and sleep
is a huge component of youremotional health.
So do you like your room cooleror do you like it darker.
Maybe you need to have thewindows open, or maybe you need
blackout curtains and whitenoise so that you can actually
(17:16):
get to sleep and have a peacefulrest.
Whatever that is for you, Iprefer nice, dim lighting in my
home.
I also find that sometimesadding like lavender or
chamomile can really promotesleep and relaxation, and, of
course, our sleep hygiene is ahuge piece of that as well.
Do we do before we go to bed?
Do we turn our screens off, ordo you have the news playing
(17:39):
right up until 11 o'clock orwhatever time you turn in,
having maybe a nice routine likea cup of tea, maybe some gentle
stretching, maybe you listen toa meditation or do some
gratitude journaling before bed.
All of those things should bein your environment and at the
ready so that you can accessthem and enjoy letting your
(18:02):
space recharge you.
Also in our home environment isour outdoor space.
Maybe you live in the countryand you have a nice big piece of
property and you have a garden,or you create a little sacred
space for yourself outside.
I know for me my outdoor area.
I have a deck and then I have afairly decent size lawn and I
(18:23):
moved in there in 2021.
So I've been in here aboutthree years and when I first
moved in I didn't have anygarden space at all.
I had planters on my deck andstuff, but I was traveling a
fair bit at that time so I didnot want to plant a garden
because I didn't want the stressof having trying to look after
it or find somebody to take careof it while I was away, so I
(18:44):
never had that.
But for me, a garden is 100% myhappy place.
So last year I decided I wasgoing to be home for the summer
or mostly home and I decided toput in a vegetable garden and a
flower garden and I can tell youthat my happiness factor in the
summer went up by about 1000%and I would go out every morning
(19:07):
with my coffee and sit with mygarden and just watch the
butterflies come and thehummingbirds, and just to see
everything growing and to beable to harvest my own food was
just such a joy.
It could be anything for you.
Maybe it's having a garage thatyou can work on cars in, and
maybe you share that with achild in your home or a teenager
(19:27):
.
It doesn't matter what it isfor you, but creating that
little sacred space anywhere,either on your indoor or outdoor
space, is magical and reallyimportant to your emotional and
mental health.
Another important aspect toconsider is your relationship
with your significant other.
(19:47):
How is that environment?
I know that doesn't seem likeit's an environment, but it is
kind of its own ecosystem.
So what we want to look at is,you know, are you and your
partner on the same page?
Do you support each other?
Do you still respect each othereven if you have differences?
Do you make time for qualitytime together each day or each
week?
Do you treat each other withrespect and kindness?
(20:10):
Are you still attracted to eachother?
What could you do to make eachother feel more appreciated?
Do you have some specific needsthat aren't being met?
What is amazing about yourrelationship and what would make
it even better?
The dynamic of two people in anenvironment, whether you're
living together or separately,the environment that you bring
(20:31):
to each other when you'retogether, has a huge impact on
how you navigate the rest ofyour life.
But again, all of these thingsare for you to uncover for
yourself.
There is no wrong or rightanswers here.
It's really about just taking atemperature gauge of what
really feels good and maybe somethings that could just use a
(20:55):
small tweak.
The key to a meaningful,peaceful and productive life is
integrating changes across allof these different environments.
Each environment needs to becurated separately your mental,
your physical and your socialenvironments to create a
harmonious ecosystem thatsupports your personal growth
(21:15):
and your happiness.
So, to recap, we went throughour mental environment, number
one.
Number two was our socialenvironment.
Number three was our officeenvironment, or our workplace
environment.
Number four was our homeenvironment.
Number five was our officeenvironment or our workplace
environment.
Number four was our homeenvironment.
Number five was our bedroomenvironment.
And then we looked at theexternal home environment, like
(21:37):
the yard that you live in or thecity that you live in and what
you could do to enhance youroutdoor space.
And then we were talking aboutyour relationship environment,
and then we were talking aboutyour relationship environment.
So when we take all of thosethings and look at them together
, we want to on identifying theareas in your life that need the
most attention, and you can'tdo it all, so you have to pick
(22:00):
one or two things, set small,actionable goals for each
environment and how you want tochange it.
Small changes make big, bigresults.
Like I say, the addition ofthat hummingbird feeder to my
office environment justskyrocketed my happiness.
Be consistent with your changesand be patient as you integrate
these changes into your routine.
(22:21):
Things are going to be a littlebit different for a while, and
that's okay.
And then you want to create asystem that supports all of the
areas of your life, workingtogether in harmony.
And every year yourenvironments will change, so be
adaptable with that and don't beafraid to revisit some of these
concepts in a year from now, ora couple years from now, or
(22:43):
whenever you have a major lifechange.
Whether you have a child moveout of the house, or maybe you
have an elderly move out of thehouse, or maybe you have an
elderly parent move into thehouse.
There's all kinds of differentphases of life where your home
environment, your workenvironment and your mental
environment are going to haveshifts.
Recognize when those changesare happening so that you can
(23:03):
make some small corrections andget back to your best self.
And I love this quote by Lao Tzuthe journey of a thousand miles
begins with one step.
So when we talk about creatingenvironments that support a
healthy life, it's just doing itone step at a time.
You got this.
If you enjoyed this episode, Iwould very much appreciate it if
(23:26):
you would leave me a review onAmazon or wherever you get your
podcasts.
That would mean the world to me, and if you loved this episode,
please share it with somebodywho might need to hear this
information today, in casenobody has told you today.
There's not one person on thisplanet that's exactly like you,
and the world is a better placebecause you're here.
(23:47):
So thank you for being here.
Go make it a great day and Iwill see you next time on.
Life is delicious.
Hey, beautiful friends, it's Marni Martin and
welcome to this episode of Lifeis Delicious.
I'm a multi-passionateentrepreneur, best-selling
author, foodie and voiceoverartist, and I created the Life
is Delicious podcast with onesimple mission in mind to help
(00:22):
you add more flavor to your lifeand to help you write your own
recipe for a life that feedsyour soul.
I'm so glad you're here.
Before we begin, I just want tosay that I am so grateful to
have you here and it's so greatthat you have taken some time
out of your day to focus onsomething that will enrich your
(00:43):
life.
Today, we are going to talkabout something that I think is
hugely important, and it is theenvironment that we live in, and
I like to think of our lifelike a series of mini
environments, because there's alot of different types of
environments, some which wenever even actually think of,
(01:04):
that impact our happiness, ourfulfillment, our well-being and
our mental health.
Let's start with environmentnumber one, and we're going to
go through a series of all thedifferent environments and
there's a handful of them andthen we're going to talk about
ways in which we can change,tweak, enhance and clean up some
(01:26):
of those environments tosupport our best life.
So the first one I want to talkto you about is our mental
environment, and I think ourmental environment is the
foundation for everything elsein our life the thoughts we
think and the words we speak.
They actually create the lensthrough which we see the world,
ourselves and other people.
(01:47):
So our inner dialogue is a hugepiece of this mental
environment, and if our innerdialogue is filled with fear,
doubt, negativity, we're goingto experience life through a
lens of limitation.
But if we consciously choosethoughts that are supportive,
peaceful and loving, our entireworld can begin to shift.
(02:10):
Imagine waking up every daywith a mindset that empowers you
, one that fills your heart withconfidence, optimism and inner
peace.
This can be possible when wetake control of our mental
environment and intentionallydesign it to support our growth
and happiness.
So I don't know if you've everheard about the book the Four
(02:31):
Agreements, but it is anincredible piece of literature
that was written by Don MiguelRuiz.
It's a really short read, so ifyou haven't had a chance to
pick up a copy, I would highlyencourage that.
It is a super powerful bookabout setting our intention for
the way we use our thoughts andour words for ourself and for
(02:53):
others.
So the four agreementsbasically are number one be
impeccable with your word.
Speak with integrity.
Say only what you mean.
Avoid using the word to speakagainst yourself or gossip about
others.
Use the power of your word inthe direction of truth and love.
The second agreement is don'ttake anything personally.
(03:16):
Nothing others do is because ofyou.
What others say and do is aprojection of their own dream.
When you are immune to theopinions and actions of others,
you won't be a victim ofneedless suffering.
I love that.
The third agreement is don'tmake assumptions.
Find the courage to askquestions and to express what
(03:37):
you really want.
Communicate with others asclearly as you can to avoid
misunderstandings, sadness anddrama.
With just this one agreement,you can completely transform
your life.
The fourth agreement is alwaysdo your best.
Your best is going to changefrom moment to moment, under any
circumstance.
(03:57):
Simply do your best and youwill avoid self-judgment,
self-abuse and regret.
So I love that.
And this is such a simpleconcept, but a super powerful
concept.
So when we're looking at ourmental environment, we have to
look at the way we talk toourselves and the way we think
about ourselves and the way wemake agreements in the world.
(04:22):
So an agreement is simply anidea, an opinion or a habit of
thought that we believe to betrue, even if it's not the real
truth.
If we believe it is true, itactually becomes true for us.
Our subconscious doesn't knowthe difference between real and
fantasy and it runs on theprogramming that we set in
motion through the agreementsthat we make with ourselves.
(04:43):
So that's why it's reallyimportant to examine the
agreements we've made withourself on a regular basis to
see if in fact, they're stilltrue or if we need to adjust
them and make completely newagreements with ourselves.
And as you grow and change inyour life, your agreements will
shift over time and hopefullyyou will create a habit of
(05:04):
self-awareness by payingattention to the agreements that
you've made, because ouragreements create the lens
through which we see everyoneand everything in our reality.
So let's take a look at someexamples of some very common
agreements and how we mightadjust them to help us break
free from self sabotagingpatterns and ways of being.
(05:24):
Perhaps you have a an agreementthat just says I'm not a lucky
person.
Maybe you could change that toI am the luckiest person I know.
We have to make a mental notethat we're actually having that
negative experience, and retrainourselves when those negative
emotions and words andagreements pop up, to be able to
(05:46):
shift them to something moreempowering.
So maybe you have an agreementthat you're too old to do
certain things and instead maybeyou could just say I'm so much
wiser than I used to be and I'mnever too old to learn something
new.
Maybe you have decided that youhave never been good with math
and so as long as you believethat it's going to be a
(06:08):
challenge for you to do math, somaybe you need to change it to
something like the more Ipractice, the better I get.
Maybe you have a habit ofthought that says I can't afford
it, so as long as you havedecided you cannot afford
something, it's very unlikelythat you're going to attract the
abundance to be able to affordit.
So instead, how about that'snot an economic priority for me
(06:32):
right now?
Or something even better?
Money flows easily to me and Ialways have enough money for the
things that I need.
Simple, simple tweaks, butthings that really will change
the way you think and the wayyou feel about every single
agreement that you have, becauseevery thought you think
contributes to the energy thatyou bring into the world.
(06:52):
Then, when we actually look atnot only the thoughts we think
but the words that we use,obviously those matter as well.
So maybe we could start by justwriting down three negative
thoughts that you often tellyourself and then, maybe, just
like we did in the exercise,rewrite each one into a positive
(07:12):
, empowering statement.
How would your life change ifyou consistently spoke to
yourself with love andencouragement?
That's worth pondering.
I think so.
The second one of ourenvironments that is super
important is our socialenvironment the people we
surround ourselves with and theactivities we engage in.
(07:33):
They shape our emotionalwell-being, our mindset and our
overall happiness.
So if our social environment isfilled with positivity,
inspiration and support, wethrive.
But if we're surrounded bynegativity, drama, unhealthy
habits, our personal growth andour happiness can really take a
(07:53):
bit of a beating.
Your social circle includesyour friends, your family, your
co-workers and the communitiesthat you engage with regularly.
Maybe that's clubs that you'repart of, or maybe you play
pickleball.
Whatever that is for you.
It's important to just stop andtake a look at which one of
these environments is supportingyou and which one is not.
So one of the things we talkabout is that we become most
(08:17):
like the five people that wespend our time with.
So let's look at some of thepeople that you actually spend
time with.
Maybe make a list of the fiveor six or seven people that are
in your life and with you almostall the time or most often, and
then let's look at are thosepeople supporting you and
uplifting your dreams,encouraging you to do better, or
(08:39):
are they kind of influencingyou to maybe do some things in
excess, maybe that you wouldn'tlike to do?
Or maybe they don't cheer youon when you have a new project?
It's just an important thing tolook at, because it really will
give you a different opinionabout what you need to clean up
and maybe who you need to spenda little bit more time with.
(09:00):
Not that you necessarily wantto cut out people from your life
completely, but it's certainlypossible to make different
choices and spend more time withthe people that lift you up,
support you and nurture yourwell-being and your mental
health.
So we want to seek friendshipsthat align with our values and
we want to be intentional aboutwho we invest our time and
(09:20):
energy into.
Next, let's have a look at ourworkplace environment.
I know a lot of people workfrom home these days, so this
could be your home office or itcould be your workplace, because
your overall workplaceenvironment has a profound
impact on your productivity,your motivation and your overall
(09:41):
job satisfaction.
When you have an environmentthat supports and helps you to
thrive and limits distractions,you just have a much better work
experience.
Maybe we could have a look atis your work environment clean?
Is it tidy?
Do you have things accessiblethat you need to be able to find
(10:02):
when you're in the middle of aproject?
What could you do to limit theamount of distractions that you
have?
You know, maybe you couldinvest in some furniture that is
a little ergonomically moresupportive for your actual
comfort and efficiency.
What about your decor?
Is it peaceful?
Is there just cluttereverywhere?
(10:24):
Do you have beautiful pictureson the wall?
Does it a place that you feelrelaxed and inspired?
Because that's where you doyour best work is when you're
inspired.
Sometimes our workplaceenvironment also includes the
people that we spend time withat work, and sometimes we have
colleagues that are notnecessarily supportive or maybe
(10:46):
they're a little bit difficultto deal with.
So what do you do about thatand how do you limit that
exposure?
How do you keep the peace whiledoing a good job at your work
and how do you navigate thosesituations?
How does that impact the wayyou feel when you go to work?
Are you feeling valued?
Are you fairly compensated forthe work that you do?
(11:08):
If you're not, maybe it's timeto negotiate or explore some new
opportunities.
One thing I've found to be veryeffective in terms of looking at
time management in your officesituation is maybe using the
Pomodoro technique, which is 25minutes of work and then a quick
five minute break.
How long is your commute towork and does that contribute to
(11:31):
your stress?
Do you bring healthy meals fromhome?
Are you eating from a vendingmachine or fast food every day?
What about being challenged inyour current position?
Do you feel appreciated whenyou do a good job?
Are you able to grow and isthere room for you to add value?
Are you being paid what you'reworth?
(11:53):
And if you work from home, doyou have a dedicated space that
you can limit distractions andallows you to kind of switch
into work mode?
That can be a really bigcontributing factor.
Is your space cluttered ormessy, or is it tidy and easy
for you to work in and find thethings that you need.
Here's one when you work athome, do you stay in your
(12:14):
pajamas all day or do you stilldress for work?
There's no judgment here.
It's just a matter of lookingat the things and the habits
that you're doing and seeing howdoes it make you feel?
I know for me personally, when Iget into a workflow, sometimes
it can be really easy for me tobe still in my house coat at
noon because I got onto a trainof thought and I went with it
(12:38):
and that is sometimes a reallyvaluable thing.
But other times, when I reallymake an intentional effort to
get up and wash my face and doall my morning routines and then
get dressed and go to workpurposefully, I tend to have a
little bit more of a productiveday and I tend to be able to get
(12:58):
in my zone a bit quicker.
Do you have flowers on yourdesk or items in your space that
make you happy?
I love having a beautifulworkplace and one of the things,
even in my office, that I didthis year is I added a
hummingbird feeder on theoutside of my office window.
I am absolutely enamored withhummingbirds and I have several
(13:21):
feeders around my house, butit's absolutely one of the
things that adds to my happiness, and I could be in the middle
of a work project and just lookout the window and see those
little guys and it just elevatesmy mood instantly.
And it might seem like a verysmall, simple thing.
Oftentimes the most impactfulthings that make us happy can be
(13:42):
very, very simple.
So look at your space and seewhat's working for you and what
maybe needs a little bit of atweaking or changing or
completely letting go up.
The next one, of course, is ourmost important environment, or
our largest environment, andthat is our home, where we live,
(14:02):
who we share our space with andhow we choose to create the
vibe in our house.
I love this quote by PeterWalsh.
It says your home should be theantidote to your stress, not
the cause of it.
So your home is your sanctuary.
It's the place where you shouldfeel safe, relaxed and inspired
.
If your home is cluttered andchaotic or uninspiring, you can
(14:25):
often feel more stress or it candrain your energy.
So it's really important tointentionally create spaces
within your home that cannurture your well-being and your
happiness.
So we're going to talk aboutways to declutter, organize and
kind of look at each room inyour home as something that is
going to create space for you tobe your best self.
(14:47):
So of course, we've got ourkitchen and our living space.
One of the things that I findcontributes to my joy in a big
way is having a tidy home, and Ireally subscribe to the fact
that everything kind of has aplace and I try to put things
back where they belong, and itjust allows me to feel much more
(15:08):
peaceful.
When I wake up in the morningand my counters are cluttered
with grocery bags or laundry orsomething like that, immediately
I feel my sense of stress go up, because I love to come into a
clean kitchen in the morning.
It's the most favorite way forme to start my day.
I don't feel like I have to doanything, it's just like oh,
it's so nice to be here.
All of those different thingscan shift.
(15:29):
Do you have enough space inyour house to put things away in
closets?
Could you maybe find differentways of reorganizing your
closets and your spaces in yourhome so that you would be able
to maybe let go of some thingsso that you can have some clean
countertop space and that youcan find things when you need
them.
Now.
Everybody's life is differentand not everybody thrives in an
(15:52):
environment that is completelytidy.
Some people really have thatorganized chaos where they know
where everything in their spaceis, and if that's you, then
that's okay too.
This is really all about youevaluating what's working for
you and what's not, so there'sno judgment, no shoulds, none of
(16:13):
that stuff.
This is all about thinkingabout your space.
The other thing we can thinkabout is like screens in our
home, like is your TV on all day?
Do you play peaceful music inyour house?
Do you like to have candlesburning or maybe some essential
oils that enhance the space andinvigorate you?
There's just so many ways thatwe can actually add to our
peacefulness without very muchactual effort.
(16:33):
We want your home to rechargeyour batteries and to make it
feel like a retreat, a placewhere you can separate work and
relaxation.
Your bedroom should be the placethat you can relax, share
intimacy with your partner.
Maybe you're nurturing a baby,but it should be a haven of
(16:54):
comfort, relaxation and balance.
And your bedroom is also theplace where you sleep, and sleep
is a huge component of youremotional health.
So do you like your room cooleror do you like it darker.
Maybe you need to have thewindows open, or maybe you need
blackout curtains and whitenoise so that you can actually
(17:16):
get to sleep and have a peacefulrest.
Whatever that is for you, Iprefer nice, dim lighting in my
home.
I also find that sometimesadding like lavender or
chamomile can really promotesleep and relaxation, and, of
course, our sleep hygiene is ahuge piece of that as well.
Do we do before we go to bed?
Do we turn our screens off, ordo you have the news playing
(17:39):
right up until 11 o'clock orwhatever time you turn in,
having maybe a nice routine likea cup of tea, maybe some gentle
stretching, maybe you listen toa meditation or do some
gratitude journaling before bed.
All of those things should bein your environment and at the
ready so that you can accessthem and enjoy letting your
(18:02):
space recharge you.
Also in our home environment isour outdoor space.
Maybe you live in the countryand you have a nice big piece of
property and you have a garden,or you create a little sacred
space for yourself outside.
I know for me my outdoor area.
I have a deck and then I have afairly decent size lawn and I
(18:23):
moved in there in 2021.
So I've been in here aboutthree years and when I first
moved in I didn't have anygarden space at all.
I had planters on my deck andstuff, but I was traveling a
fair bit at that time so I didnot want to plant a garden
because I didn't want the stressof having trying to look after
it or find somebody to take careof it while I was away, so I
(18:44):
never had that.
But for me, a garden is 100% myhappy place.
So last year I decided I wasgoing to be home for the summer
or mostly home and I decided toput in a vegetable garden and a
flower garden and I can tell youthat my happiness factor in the
summer went up by about 1000%and I would go out every morning
(19:07):
with my coffee and sit with mygarden and just watch the
butterflies come and thehummingbirds, and just to see
everything growing and to beable to harvest my own food was
just such a joy.
It could be anything for you.
Maybe it's having a garage thatyou can work on cars in, and
maybe you share that with achild in your home or a teenager
(19:27):
.
It doesn't matter what it isfor you, but creating that
little sacred space anywhere,either on your indoor or outdoor
space, is magical and reallyimportant to your emotional and
mental health.
Another important aspect toconsider is your relationship
with your significant other.
(19:47):
How is that environment?
I know that doesn't seem likeit's an environment, but it is
kind of its own ecosystem.
So what we want to look at is,you know, are you and your
partner on the same page?
Do you support each other?
Do you still respect each othereven if you have differences?
Do you make time for qualitytime together each day or each
week?
Do you treat each other withrespect and kindness?
(20:10):
Are you still attracted to eachother?
What could you do to make eachother feel more appreciated?
Do you have some specific needsthat aren't being met?
What is amazing about yourrelationship and what would make
it even better?
The dynamic of two people in anenvironment, whether you're
living together or separately,the environment that you bring
(20:31):
to each other when you'retogether, has a huge impact on
how you navigate the rest ofyour life.
But again, all of these thingsare for you to uncover for
yourself.
There is no wrong or rightanswers here.
It's really about just taking atemperature gauge of what
really feels good and maybe somethings that could just use a
(20:55):
small tweak.
The key to a meaningful,peaceful and productive life is
integrating changes across allof these different environments.
Each environment needs to becurated separately your mental,
your physical and your socialenvironments to create a
harmonious ecosystem thatsupports your personal growth
(21:15):
and your happiness.
So, to recap, we went throughour mental environment, number
one.
Number two was our socialenvironment.
Number three was our officeenvironment, or our workplace
environment.
Number four was our homeenvironment.
Number five was our officeenvironment or our workplace
environment.
Number four was our homeenvironment.
Number five was our bedroomenvironment.
And then we looked at theexternal home environment, like
(21:37):
the yard that you live in or thecity that you live in and what
you could do to enhance youroutdoor space.
And then we were talking aboutyour relationship environment,
and then we were talking aboutyour relationship environment.
So when we take all of thosethings and look at them together
, we want to on identifying theareas in your life that need the
most attention, and you can'tdo it all, so you have to pick
(22:00):
one or two things, set small,actionable goals for each
environment and how you want tochange it.
Small changes make big, bigresults.
Like I say, the addition ofthat hummingbird feeder to my
office environment justskyrocketed my happiness.
Be consistent with your changesand be patient as you integrate
these changes into your routine.
(22:21):
Things are going to be a littlebit different for a while, and
that's okay.
And then you want to create asystem that supports all of the
areas of your life, workingtogether in harmony.
And every year yourenvironments will change, so be
adaptable with that and don't beafraid to revisit some of these
concepts in a year from now, ora couple years from now, or
(22:43):
whenever you have a major lifechange.
Whether you have a child moveout of the house, or maybe you
have an elderly move out of thehouse, or maybe you have an
elderly parent move into thehouse.
There's all kinds of differentphases of life where your home
environment, your workenvironment and your mental
environment are going to haveshifts.
Recognize when those changesare happening so that you can
(23:03):
make some small corrections andget back to your best self.
And I love this quote by Lao Tzuthe journey of a thousand miles
begins with one step.
So when we talk about creatingenvironments that support a
healthy life, it's just doing itone step at a time.
You got this.
If you enjoyed this episode, Iwould very much appreciate it if
(23:26):
you would leave me a review onAmazon or wherever you get your
podcasts.
That would mean the world to me, and if you loved this episode,
please share it with somebodywho might need to hear this
information today, in casenobody has told you today.
There's not one person on thisplanet that's exactly like you,
and the world is a better placebecause you're here.
(23:47):
So thank you for being here.
Go make it a great day and Iwill see you next time on.
Life is delicious.
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